SafeDeposits Scotland Blog

Ask SafeDeposits: I paid my son's deposit - how do I get the money back?

We know that parents will often pay a tenancy deposit for their son or daughter, most commonly if their child has moved for college or university and needs hundreds of pounds for their student flat. In fact, it's not unusual for the deposit for a student flat to be paid entirely by the parents of the different students living there.

However, as the students are the people living in the property, they are listed on the tenancy agreement and are legally responsible for following the terms of the tenancy agreement (e.g. paying the rent on time, keeping the property clean, not causing any damage, etc.). If any of the tenants break a term of the tenancy agreement, the landlord can claim for some or all of the deposit to cover any costs incurred. This is why when a landlord or letting agent transfers a deposit to SafeDeposits, it's the names of the people living in the property who are listed on the account, even if they didn't pay the deposit.

After a landlord or letting agent transfers a deposit to SafeDeposits, we send all tenants a welcome email or letter, which includes:

A deposit account number (DAN)
The reference number for the deposit, which the tenants share with the landlord or letting agent

A deposit repayment number (DRN)
The password for their personal user account, which they shouldn't share with anyone, even other people they live with

The tenants must keep these numbers safe, because they need them to log in and claim their deposit back after they move out.

After the tenants move out, the landlord or letting agent and the tenants must log in to the SafeDeposits website to complete the necessary repayment steps.

If a tenant needs their DAN and DRN resent to them, they must contact us directly to ask for these to be resent. In the same way as a bank wouldn't allow it, even if someone else paid the deposit, someone who isn't listed on the account can't change the details or claim the money back!

If your son or daughter would like you to act on their behalf, they need to contact us directly to let us know. We can add a note to the deposit account to confirm you're authorised to act in their place.